I was captivated by the wisdom represented in these “commandments” written in 1968 by Kent Keith for student leaders entitled, The Silent Revolution: Dynamic Leadership in the Student Council, published by Harvard Student Agencies in 1968.
Not until 1997 did Dr. Keith discover that his commandments were posted on Mother Teresa’s wall and reported in a book compiled by Lucinda Vardey, Mother Teresa: A Simple Path, which was published in 1995.
The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
Share these amazing commandments with others to help them see the power in doing the right thing.
